As we now know from the archives, Anthony (Tony) Pusterla designed the Linda Star while working at J&S Fribreglass in Sydney (who also made the fibreglass fastback for MGBs in those years). Sometime in late 1967, he had a prototype of his fibreglass camper design made up, called it 'Linda' after his daughter, and whacked it on the back of a new Falcon utility, before setting off to Far Nth Qld and back for a test drive.
[and unlike another forum member's Ford, this one actually made it back!! 
] Then there were a few weeks of testing in Sydney's traffic, and another test trip up into Qld. During the second trip, Tony called in to the Murrumba Star factory at Caboolture and chatted with Ken Duncombe, the Managing Director. After a few beers and some prawns on the barbie, Ken agreed to manufacture the camper in his factory. After a few
more beers, Ken started seeing double and the idea for the Mini Star was born.
[sorry about that...just trying to inject a bit of humour into the forum. Hope I haven't hijacked my post by writing that rubbish... 
]Anyhoo, both the Linda Star camper and the Mini Star caravan were put into production. They were launched onto the market in about February 1968 at a grand ceremony at the factory, with Qld Premier Mr Pizzey officiating.
These new creations were launched to
world-wide acclaim the cheers of the Caboolture Surf Club blokes (who were really only there for the beer and prawns), and production hits full speed...
Tony Pusterla becomes a wealthy man (I guess) and Ken Duncombe swears off prawns
forever!
But trouble lurks around the corner for Ken. Sometime in 1969 he gets a call from Glendale Caravans. Those sneaky Canadians know Ken's weak spot and they invite him to a barbie. Ken says he'll come as long as there's no prawns. Glendale says "No worries, Ken, we've only got shrimps". Ken heaves a sigh of relief and agrees to come.
At the barbie, Glendale makes an offer too good for Ken to refuse. They want to buy his factory. Ken agrees to the offer of $3789003352563.44 and a slab of XXXX beer. He rings Tony Pusterla up and says "Up yours, Tony! Your prawns stuffed up my ulcer, and now I've just made a fortune selling my factory, and your Linda Star is DEAD MEAT!!"
Tony puts the phone down and fingers his 27364-carat diamond encrusted gold ring. "What to do??"
He finds his old work shirt and tie, and goes back to working for J&S Fibreglass, and in July 1969 they launch their own camper...
Compared to the eye-catching Linda Star, this one really SUCKS, and looks more like a dead fish with its mouth wide open. If the blokes at the Caboolture Surf Club ever saw this, they'd p*ss their XXXX up against the wall laughing!
[no, wait...they were always doing that...]Tony fingers his cheap plastic Phantom ring he got from a comic deal. "What to do??"
He starts up Linda Caravans Pty Ltd, and makes the Linda Walkabout...
But he never reaches the heights he reached with the Linda Star, and the Walkabout fizzles out as just another one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time...
Disclaimer: some of the foregoing information may not be true. The bit about the Caboolture Surf Club blokes is pretty close...and the bit about the Qld Premier
is true...apparently.
cheers,
Al.
